Traffic signal for motor vehicles



May 11, 1943- 's. B. HUMPHREY 2,318,690l

TRAFFIC SIGNAL FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed Dec. 19, 1941 A TT ORNE Y Patented May 11, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TRAFFIC SIGNAL FR MOTOR'VEHICLES Shelley B. Humphrey, Huntington'Park, Calif.

Application December 19, 1941', Serial No. 423,671

8 Claims.

, This invention relates toa traiiic signal, mountable upon a motor vehicle.

Among the objects of the invention are: To provide an improved mounting means for supporting the movable parts of the device, said mounting means being quickly applicable to selfpropelled vehicles now in use-without the use of screws or bolts; to provide a superior connectio-n between an operating handle or lever and the parts of the device actuated'thereby.; and to provide a more sturdy, durable arrangement of working parts.

. Other objects, advantages and features of invention will hereinafter appear.

, Referring to the accompanying drawing, which illustrates what is at present deemed to' be a preferred embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the complete device, a fragment of the side of the car to which it is attached being included in the view. Ar part of this view is sectioned on line I-I of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a fragmental side elevation` of the device as viewed from the outside of the auto; mobile window in which it is mounted.

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the deviceper se, parts' being broken away, the' elevation being front left to right of Fig. 1.

. Referring in detail to the drawing, the' invene tion includes a mounting strip I0 which has' a ange or tongue II extending along the: midwidth of its upper edge to fit into the grooved lower edge of the top piece I2 of the window frame at that side of the car. The lower edge portion of said strip I is beveled at I3 at each side and is grooved at I4 along its midwithto fit over the upper edge of the window pane I5.

An angularly shaped inner bracket I6, mounted Within the car, cooperates-with a similarly shaped outer bracket I'I. These brackets-arevhorizontally alined with each other, each bracket having an upper extension I8 apertured to admita cylindrical bolt I9,` said bolt also passing throughthe'mounting strip I0. A nut 2|)V screwsv onL to each projecting end portion of said bolt, these nuts abutting against said extensions I8`- andv clamping the brackets I6 and I1" in place. Sim plication of structure results' from utilizing'said bolt I9 as a securing means common to both ofi said brackets.

-Each of the brackets I6 and I'I has a bifur-y cated body portion resulting from a broad,` deep groove 22 being cut into its outer end. arrangement adapts the inner bracket II-for scI :iti

swingably supporting the shank 23" of al1-'operVA ating lever 24-upon a pivot 23d.

Said shank 23 is mainly'- eir'cularin sha-p; notches' 25 being cut into its periphery, a ballv check 26, seated' in a suitable rcess'ithe bracket I6, cooperating with these notches to releasablyA maintain the movable parts of the device inthe selected signaiing position. vA springi tiges said bail 26 toward the notched' periphery of" the shank 23T.

The shank 213 has a tangential projection 3'0 andv adjacent to one side of said projection a* peripheral recess 3| which aids in outlining the projection 36. Said projection is' apertured to" receive a pivot lingerr 32" carried by the lever 24", and to this finger' is axially attached theflexible operating shaft 33; this part of th'e structure being completed by the nut Sil-'and antiefriction washer 34a.

Ori tricoiitsioe of tiiccar isimoujnted, upon theV bracket 11, the ttviiigolciol shank 35" of tirsignal arrn 36; By preference andassho'wn the" shank 35 is made of nearly' theY saine shape and size as the sha-nk23`in order to lower the'cost of-` manufacture.

The signal arii1r36 has a pvot portion' 4U' minable Within the projection IH' f tl'sll'li as; a mitv i2` arid ontifrictioiiwasiioisas' and u cooperating arrose-wing to attach rtho'adjacont end-portion of' thev flexible shaft 3s. outer' end: portion of the signal arn 36:` carries a circular reector B5;

In order normally to maintainA the handle 5f thefoperating lever 24 in the lipstandi'ng relation toits shank 2a shown inv fui'i iio's Fig.' 1,k saidl handle; is furnished with a ledge 46' con"- taining a socket 4l; a spring pressed ball #8"6'6- cu'pyin'g the mouth portioncif s'aid'scke't. In the adjacent curved part 302i' of tno shank' z' isa semicircuiar seat 49 which said'loali engags' to rc1-casato maintain: tiiohafioie'of tito 1ovi' in tiiefupstanjoing Vposition shown thiisois'o maiil taining thoncxibioshaft stiii suci'i arotti rial" position thatA it, iii" tuin maintains the' sigiii arm :is togctiici` withv itsl reflecting signor dgt.` rotations-ny positioned as itil Figi. 1. sitio"V positions.V Thehanorcof tho'op'ciotiiigicvo.2t,

wi'icn swung through' orio-pioiieoiooiit t'iio pivotthe signal arm 36 together with its reflector 45. At times the operator will find it desirable to turn the signal arm 36 about its axis to a position wherein the reector 45 carried thereby will extend parallel to the length of the car so that said reflector will be practically invisible to traiiic both rearward and forward of the car. Said reflector may have one face red for rearward observation and otherwise colored on its opposite face.

I claimz' l. In asignal structure of the kind described, a mounting strip supportable in a window opening of an automobile, a pair of brackets, said brackets abutting against opposite sides of said strip, a tubular bolt extending through said strip and through a portion of each of `said brackets, means cooperating with said bolt to secure said brackets to said strip, an operating lever mounted on the bracket which is located at the inner side of the car window to swing in two dierent planes applies traction to said shaft and thereby mounted on the bracket which is on the outer side of the car window andra flexible shaft ex tending through said tubular bolt, said shaft operatively connecting said lever and arm whereby-swinging said lever in one of the aforesaid planes applies traction to said shaft and thereby swings said arm laterally, and swinging said lever in the other of the aforesaid planes acts tortionallyupon said shaft and thereby turns axially said arm about its longitudinal axis. f' 2. In a signal structure of the kind described, mounting means supportable in a side wall of the tonneau of an automobile, one portion of said mounting means being inside the tonneau and another portion outside thereof, there being a passage through said mounting means, an oppassage in the mounting means, said shaft being attached both to said lever and to said signal ar'mwhereby swinging said leverv in one of the aforesaid planes movessaid shaftV longitudinally and thereby swings said arm laterally in relation to its'v length and swinging said lever in its otherV aforesaid plane acts tortionally upon said shaft and' thereby axially turns said arm about its axis. Y

" Y3. In a signal structure of thekind described, a mounting strip supportable in a window openingof'an automobile, a pair of brackets, said brackets abutting against opposite sides of said strip,` a tubular bolt extending through said strip and through a portion of each of said brackets, means cooperating with said tubular bolt to secure said brackets to said strip, said brackets each having a bodyportion below said bolt into the outer side of which is cut a slot, an operating lever having a flattened shank portion which occupies the slot of the bracket that isvr located on the inner side of the car window, a pivot passing through the slotted portion of such bracket and swingably vsupporting said lever shank to allow movement of said operating lever in a first plane, said operating lever beingV additionally pivoted to saidshank portion to allow movement in a second plane, a flexible connection secured to said operating lever and .passing through said bolt, and a signal arm pivotally mounted upon the bracket which is located on the outer side of the car window to swing to various signaling positions, said flexible connection being fastened to said arm in an eccentric relation to its pivot, whereby movement of said operating lever in one plane will cause lateral movement of said signal arm, and movement of said operating lever in a second plane will cause turnable movement of the signal about its longitudinal axis.

4. In a signal structure of the kind described, mounting means supportable in a wall of the tonneau of an automobile in such a manner as to have an outer portion which is exposed exteriorly of the tonneau and an inner portion which is exposed interiorly thereof, said mounting means comprising an inner bracket and an outer bracket having a single securing bolt in common, a signal arm mounted upon said outer bracket of said mounting means to swing laterally toand from an extended position in relation to the tonneau, said signal arm having a flattened outer end portion. and being axially turnable to increase and diminish the visibility of said flattened portion from the viewpoint of observers in advance of or behind the vehicle, a flexible connection operatively connected with said arm and extending therefrom through the aforesaid mounting means to the interior of the tonneau, and means within the tonneau mounted upon said inner bracket to apply both traction and torsion to said flexible connection both to swing said signal arm upwardy from a pendant position and to turn it about its longitudinal axis. 5. In an operating means for an automobile signal, a bracket, mounting means for said bracket supportable by the wall of a tonneau, a flexible shaft, said shaft extending through said mounting means' tc Voperate a signal exteriorly of the tonneau, a circular member which is cenially connected with that part of the arm which trally and turnably pivoted to said bracket within the tonneau, an operating arm carried by said circular member and extending tangentially therefrom, said arm being pivo-ted to said circular member to swing relatively .thereto about an axis extending at a' right angle to said axis about which said circular member ,is turnable, the aforesaid flexible shaft being connected with said operating arm at the pivotal mounting of thelatter so that swinging the arm applies tortion to the shaft, and a portion of said shaft being windable upon the aforesaid circular member when the -latter is turned about its pivot.

Y 6. In an operating means for an automobile;

signal, mountingmeans supportable by the wall of a tonneau, a bracket supportable exteriorly of the tonneau by said mounting means, a flexible shaft, said shaft extending through said mounting means, a signal arm having a circular shank portion turnably supported by said bracket exteriorly-of the tonneau, said flexible shaft being connected with and windable upon saidshank portion'to swing said arm upwardly against gravity to a signaling position, said arm being turnable in relation to its said shank and carrying a signal part having a face portion which is moved to `and from a signaling position by the turning of the arm, said flexible shaft being axis turnable in relation to its shank, and means within the tonneau operatively connected with said flexible shaft both to turn it and to apply traction to it. f Y- thereof, securing means common to said brackets extending through said mounting member and connected with the upper extension of each of said brackets, a movable signal element mounted on one of said brackets, signal operating means mounted on the other of said brackets, and means extending through said mounting member and operatively connecting said movable signalv element with said signal operating means.

8. The subject matter of claim 7, and said securing means consisting of a tubular bolt and said operating connection extending longitudinally through said tubular bolt.

SHEILEY B. HUMPHREY. 

